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How Technology & Science Have Impacted Forensics In Criminal Investigations
Writing about forensics entomology
Writing about forensics entomology
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Introduction Forensic entomology is the study of how insects and the dead are correlated together. The history of forensic entomology dates all the way back to the thirteenth century in China. Through an extensive of research and trial and error, future examiners and entomologist, were able to learn about the post-mortem interval and also the general cycle of insects in a body at a given time of the interval. Since this time, entomology has evolved into a reputable method of forensic evaluation. Technology has improved over the years, and has opened the door for more extensive analysis and evaluation of insects that are a product of dead and decaying corpses. As a result of these improvements, insects can offer a lot of information about the corpse, such as if it was diseased or also the cause of the death. History In the thirteenth century, Chinese lawyer Sung Tzu, provided a case in his book “Hsi yuan chi lu” a stabbing near a rice field and then the next day blow flies were present around the body. Several centuries later, in nineteen seventy six, the concept of blow flies attraction to blood was confirmed by Leclercq and Lambert when they found blow flies laying eggs in the blood of a corpse only six hours after the death (Hart, 2010). Maggots have been witnessed and noted since the Middle Ages. The study of maggots during this time, and even through the present, offer insight to what the maggot does to the body at different intervals of time, and also the life cycle of a maggot. Many have described that maggots eat away internally, which leads to weight and size reduction, but often leave the skin itself intact and preserved. During the eighteenth and nineteenth century, exhumations (digging up buried bodies) were taking p... ... middle of paper ... ...n the criminal justice field, is figuring out the post-mortem interval of a deceased body or of a neglected individual (Hart, 2010). Conclusion With an extensive history, dating all the way back to the thirteenth century, forensic entomology, has become an important factor in helping figure out the post-mortem interval of a deceased or neglected individual. It is important to understand the context and cycles of various insects in order to accurately measure this post-mortem interval. Research is constantly being done to ensure that the science of forensic entomology stays up to date. Since the thirteenth century, the discipline has crossed many bridges and molded into a helpful assistance to the criminal justice field. Even though it did not become popular in the United States until the mid-seventies, it has found useful to the criminal justice field. References
Forensic Science Introduction: Someone in a restaurant has suddenly fallen ill and a mystery powder has been discovered with the victim. As the chief investigator, your duty is to identify the mystery substance through a lab. In this lab, it will consist of five known compounds and one unknown compound. Your job is to distinguish which one out of the five substances is the mystery powder. To figure out the mystery matter you will have to compare their physical and chemical properties and match them with the appropriate compound.
“This is my lab and what we do is study bones,” states Kari Bruwelheide in her video entitled “30,000 Skeletons”. Of the three resources that we were provided, “Puzzles of the Chesapeake” by Sally Walker, “Forensic Anthropology” by an unknown author, and “30,000 Skeletons” by Smithsonian Education presented by Kari Bruwelheide, the resource “30,000 Skeletons” is by far the best at explaining the role of an anthropologist. It is unbeatable because it is a video rather than just written words, and Kari Bruwelheide has personal experience in being a forensic anthropologist. A forensic anthropologist is a scientist that studies human remains, or in another word, skeletons, to try to find out information about the past.
The resurgence of bedbugs in major U.S cities is a testament of the increase in international travel and increase sale of second-hand furniture which highlights the progress we have made in moving from one place to another and expanding our horizons for commercial benefits. Perhaps with or without realization we have become the vehicles in which bedbugs travel and the vessel of their
The crime scene was located in a deer hunting area in a meadow. There were several different types of trees and foliage surrounding the area where the skeletal remains were discovered. The...
Kohn, George Childs. "Black Death." Encyclopedia of Plague and Pestilence: From Ancient Times to the Present, Third Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2008. Ancient and Medieval History Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?
results of the forensic anthropology. For instance, if a crime is committed at a certain scene,
Forensic toxicology is one of the oldest disciplines in forensic science history and dates back hundreds of years. However, the actual understanding and examination of forensic toxicology only dates back for about 200 years. Due to the development of technology, this discipline has been able to progress and flourish.
2. Kirsch, Laura. “Diagnosis: DEATH.” Forensic Examiner 15.2 (2006): 52-54. Criminal Justice Periodicals. ProQuest. USF Mears Library, Sioux Falls, SD. 24 Apr. 2008 http://www.proquest.com/
The main reason for studying forensic entomology is to establish the time since death. Recognizing each species and their life stages as well as having knowledge about how long an insect is in a particular life stage is the basis for establishing a PMI. The use of forensic entomology is a growing area of research, which will become more prevalent as more research on the subject is completed. This is important in criminal cases in providing a time range for when the crime occurred so that it is possible to narrow the possibility of each suspect or to acquit the defendant.
Imagine yourself as a mortician, certified as an embalmer, retort operator, funeral director, and a funeral cosmetologist. You get a call late at night, there’s been a terrible accident and someone has died. You arrive at the hospital and are directed to a small room where the body of the deceased is being held. There’s blood all over the sheets as the doctor and coronary assistant zip up the body bag and inform you the body was badly mangled in a car accident, which is going to make reconstructing the deceased very difficult. Your assistant puts the body on the stretcher and loads it into the hearse while you talk to the wife of the deceased man. She tells you they plan to have a funeral so you give her your card and a reassuring word before leaving the hospital and driving back to the funeral home. Now your job begins, not only will you have to reconstruct this man’s disfigured body, but you must meet with the family, discuss funeral arrangements, and deal with the family’s emotional trauma that comes with losing a loved one. Although working in the funeral business can be emotionally draining, it’s a satisfying feeling to see mourning families able to say goodbye to their loved ones. Despite the fact that working so closely with the deceased can be chilling, Mortuary science can be a thrilling field to work in.
The word “Autopsy” means ‘to see with one’s own eyes,’ (2) and is a procedure that has been performed since the time of (LOOK UP IN NOTES). Not every death that occurs is subjected to an autopsy – this would be time consuming and expensive. Yet the situations that require such a procedure are different for every state. In fact, there is no federal standard when it comes to autopsy requirements or procedures – a surprising fact, considering the sheer number of years the human race has been practicing the procedure.
Forensics Anthropology is the study that goes beyond the human skeleton. A forensics anthropologist can find out. How a person lived, the food that person ate, and the overall make-up of a human. The use of forensics has grown in recent years, it is used to solve crimes and locate missing persons. Snow, (1982) Forensics anthropology is not a new science. The first case forensics anthropology was used on was the Jezebel case, dating back to the nineteenth century. This case involved a person, who was thrown from a window. Snow, (1982) The remains found in this case were the skull, feet, and the palm of the victim’s hands.
Toxicology is the investigation of the unfavourable impacts of chemicals on living creatures. Forensic toxicology takes it above and beyond, including various related controls to aid in the location and elucidation of pills and harms poisons and drugs in medico legitimate passing examinations, human execution issues; e.g.,
Forensic scientists work in labs where they examine, identify, and interpret evidence collected in crime scenes. Crime scene investigators collect evidence and pass it to a forensic scientist who uses the items in numerous ways to help catch criminals. Forensic scientists must also record the evidence and any tests ran on it in detail to prove the truth in court. A forensic scientist also has to be able to present his or her physical evidence verbally in court, so a strong communication background is important.
Forensic entomology is the study of insects and arthropods and their relation to a criminal investigation. Forensic entomology can determine the postmortem interval (PMI) or how long since the descendants’ death, whether the body has been moved since expiring, and what injuries may have been sustained (Ryan, 2011). When decomposition begins, insects establish a colony to lay eggs on the remains; these eggs will hatch into larvae that will eat the human organs and tissues. Forensic entomologists can determine the specific insects present in the body and estimate how long a body has been left exposed by examining the stage of development of the fly larvae; however, these findings are not always plausible. The fly larvae look and act different at each stage of development. The time required for stage development is not only affected by environmental influences such as geographical location, climate, and weather conditions, but also by type of insect. The forensic entomologist must consider these conditions when estimating the postmortem interval. Knowledge of insects, their life cycles, and their habits make entomological evidence a priceless tool for an investigation. Forensic entomology has proved its significance in a number of cases; though circumstances such as weather, temperature, and time of year clearly affect the development of insect infestation, and the expert must keep these in the forefront of his/her mind (Innes, 2000).